Victor schools chief makes the rounds one last time today

Friday

Mar 27, 2009 at 12:01 AMMar 27, 2009 at 7:21 PM

After 11 years as Victor superintendent, Tim McElheran retires today.

Kathryn Rybczak, staff writer

For the last 11 years, Superintendent Tim McElheran has roamed the many halls on the Victor school district campus, every so often popping his head into classrooms to say hello to students and teachers.

Today he’ll make the rounds one last time before retirement.

“He surely has left a mark on me and my fellow students,” said Victor junior DJ Natrigo, referring to McElheran’s attendance at games, concerts and other school events.

“I remember growing up and always feeling this extreme sense of excitement knowing that the superintendent of my school was going to be at my choir concert,” Natrigo said.

Junior Amanda Ferguson said that by going to school events, McElheran shows that he takes interest in what students are doing.

“He doesn’t have to do that,” Ferguson added. “But, he does.”

Today’s juniors were kindergartners when McElheran was hired to oversee a district with 3,018 students and a $31,261,891 budget. Current enrollment is 3,993, and McElheran expects another 115 students to join the district in the fall. Next year’s budget, if approved by voters, would be over $53 million.

Local leaders credit McElheran for his focus on programs meant to make students competitive in a global marketplace.

Ted Fafinski, R-Farmington, chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors, noted McElheran’s keen interest in the emerging Chinese economy. McElheran and Dawn Santiago-Marullo — the former director of special projects and programs, who will succeed McElheran as superintendent — along with others from the school took a trip to China in July 2006 to see their students’ future competitors up close.

The trip followed a summit the district held in February 2006 on “The World Is Flat,” a book by Thomas L. Friedman that deals with globalization. Friedman wrote of a trip to Bangalore, India, where he realized globalization is changing economic concepts. He says that the world is “flat” because globalization has leveled competitive playing fields between industrial and emerging-market countries.

As a result of the trip, the district set goals to improve digital skills, math and science and multicultural literacy.

“He was always up-to-date with the latest business practices,” Fafinski said. “He ran the school like a corporation. It was really great to see.”

McElheran’s approach also impressed local business owners like Randy Farnsworth, president of Randall Farnsworth Auto Group, who has enjoyed attending the community leaders breakfast held at Victor schools every year.

“He cared about local businesses in the area,” Farnsworth said. “It was a way to reach out to the community.”

McElheran began his career as a school administrator in Webster in 1982. In 1986, he became the director of human resources for the Fairport district and later became the assistant superintendent and interim superintendent of schools.

Santiago-Marullo, who started at the district 25 years ago as a Spanish teacher, praised McElheran’s work, especially in putting together next year’s difficult budget before his last day. The budget calls for job cuts, but only through attrition, and would raise spending by just 1 percent, despite the anticipated increase in enrollment.

“It is really going to be a smooth transition,” said Santiago-Marullo, who assumes her new role Monday. “Tim has really done a tremendous job.”

Junior Bailey Edwards agreed.

“I know he will be greatly missed and remembered as Mr. McElheran, a great, influencing figure in the Victor area.”

Every time I see him, he is smiling. It is obvious that he genuinely cares about all of us students.”
—Amanda Ferguson, Victor student.

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